Jonah 2:7-9

GOD'S MESSENGER RUNNING TO GODTHE PROMISE OF JONAH

TEXT: Jonah 2:7-9

7

When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Jehovah; And my prayer came in unto thee, into thy holy temple.

8

They that regard lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

9

But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that which I have vowed. Salvation is of Jehovah.

QUERIES

a.

What does Jonah mean by his soul fainting within him?

b.

Who are the they of Jonah 2:8?

c.

What had Jonah vowed that he felt obligated to pay?

PARAPHRASE

When I found no strength in myself to save myself, I remembered the promises and power of the Lord to save. Then I turned to God in prayer and my earnest prayer went to You, Lord, in Your holy temple. Salvation and deliverance are found only in Jehovah and those who worship false gods have turned their backs on the only hope they have for mercy. As for me, I will worship only You, O God! I will give thanks to you with my lips and by obediently keeping the vows and commitments I have determined in my heart to do. The only salvation is to be found in such a relationship to Jehovah!

SUMMARY

Jonah's experience leaves him with only one place to turn for salvationthe merciful promises of God. To Him Jonah turns pledging himself to keep the vows he made to God.

COMMENT

Jonah 2:7. MY SOUL FAINTED WITHIN ME, I REMEMBERED JEHOVAH;. As we pointed out earlier, only when a man is convinced that he cannot save himselfthat all other ways, systems and helps are insufficient for his needsonly then will he turn to God. It is the authoritative statement of God's Word that all men are lost and condemned in sin unless they believe and obey God's Word. The primary objective of Christians then is to convince men of the authority of God's Word, the Bible. This has to be done by presenting the empirical, historical evidences that the Bible is the Word of God. God, by providential acts upon the course of events, oftentimes brings men and women to know their impotency and insufficiency. Then they are ready to turn to Him, but if they do not accept the Bible as His word, how can they trust in the promises of it? Jonah knew the Lordhe knew the Word of the Lord was true. Now he realizes his insufficiency so he turns back to the promise of the Lord. He prays in his most extreme hour of need and finds the peace which passes understanding. Christians have an even surer confidence and are commanded to come boldly to the throne of grace (cf. Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 10:19-25).

Jonah 2:8 THEY THAT REGARD LYING VANITIES FORSAKE THEIR OWN MERCY, Jonah is here referring to the heathen who worship idols. When men refuse to have God in their knowledge they become vain in their reasoning (cf. Romans 1:18 ff; Ephesians 2:1 ff). The Bible speaks of the gods and idols of man's invention as vain, (cf. Isaiah 40:18-23; Isaiah 41:21-24; Isaiah 44:6-20; Acts 17:22-29, etc.). The word translated lying means, literally, a vapor or a breath. Vanity means empty, void, worthless, useless. The gods men invent are dumb, speechless, powerless, useless, false and deceitful! This is also true of religious, theological, philosophical systems invented by men which do not conform to the revealed will of God in the Bible. When men worship or put their hope in such gods and systems they cut off their noses to spite their faces. They willingly turn their backs on the only hope of mercy which is found exclusively in Jehovah God. We do not believe Jonah had specific reference to the heathen sailors with whom he had just parted company. The statement of Jonah 2:8 forms what is known in Hebrew poetry as an antithetical parallelism. That is, Jonah is stating his praise for Jehovah God in the negative. Jonah's reference to the nothingness of dead idols was calculated to heighten his praise of the living God! In Jonah 2:9 he makes the positive statement of his parallelism of praise.

Jonah 2:9. SACRIFICE UNTO THEE WITH THE VOICE OF THANKSGIVING. PAY THAT WHICH I HAVE VOWED. SALVATION IS OF JEHOVAH, The sacrifices with which God is most pleased, offered by Jonah here, are, the fruit of lips given to praise Him and a life surrendered, committed to His service, (cf. Psalms 51:15-17; Hebrews 13:15-16). Jonah's vow was not extraordinary or peculiar; it was common for Jews to make vows in time of need, with the expectation of keeping the promise after relief was granted. Vows were never regarded as a religious duty even in the O.T. (cf. Deuteronomy 23:22). But when a vow was made God considered it binding (cf. Deuteronomy 23:21-23; Judges 11:35; Ecclesiastes 5:4; Psalms 66:13). Vows as such are not required in the N.T. neither are they prohibited. Jesus mentions vows only to condemn the abuse of them (Matthew 15:4-6; Mark 7:10-13; Matthew 23:16-22). But we most certainly must surrender and commit our entire being to the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Romans 12:1-2) and we must confess with the mouth that Jesus is Lord to the glory of the Father (cf. Romans 10:9-10). If this is vowing then vow we must! The Hebrew word for salvation is the same word which we translated Joshua for it is a contraction of Jehoshua which means Jehovah is salvation. The Greek rendering of Joshua is Jesus. Jonah now knew by experience that the help he needed could come only from the Lord!

QUIZ

1.

What two things are necessary, oftentimes, before men will turn to the Lord?

2.

Why are gods and systems of men vain?

3.

With what type of sacrifices is God most pleased?

4.

Should Christians make religious vows?